The birth and death of Pancreatic β-cells is of obvious importance to the cure of Diabetes mellitus. For many years, β-cells were considered terminally differentiated and unchanging after birth. However, based on the experimental animal models, the concept that β-cell mass is not static but dynamic with ability to compensate for maintenance of glucose homeostasis has been proposed. In this context, search for the factors that lead to direct differentiation of β-cells from precursor β-cell mass in the diabetic individual is important to find out novel approaches to control and cure of diabetes by natural products obtained from the Indian marine bivalves Perna viridis. 
The tissue extract from cellophan wrapped pancreas has been shown to possess trophic activity on pancreatic tissue inducing islet cell regeneration1. The active compound of cellophane wrapped pancreatic extract which is called as ‘ilotropin’ has also been shown to be effective in reversal of Streptozotocin induced diabetes by induction of islet neognesis2. The regenerating pancreas is being shown to posses islet neogenetic activity leading to reversal of experimental diabetes3 
The process of preparation of extract was developed for the first time by the Russian scientists. A patent was also filed on a process developed by Russian scientists vide Patent No. RU 2043109. The extract prepared from the Indian green mussel (Perna viridis) has previously been found to be active against all influenza, herpes and hepatitis viral strains. The extract is also found to possess not only prophylactic efficacy for protection from several viral diseases but it also shows a high therapeutic activity against these diseases. The process of preparation of extract was developed by NIO, Goa, in collaboration with the Russian Scientists.
The tissue extract from cellophane wrapped pancreas has been shown to possess trophic activity on pancreatic tissue inducing islet cell regeneration (Rosenberg L. and Vinik, A. I. 1989, Induction of endocrine cell differentiation: A new approach to management of diabetes, J. Lab. Clin. Med., 114:75-83). The active compound of cellophane wrapped pancreatic extract called as ‘ilotropin’ has also been shown to be effective in reversal of streptozotocin induced diabetes by induction of islet neognesis (Rosenberg, L. Duguid, W. P. Healy, M. Clas, D. and Vinik, A. I. 1992, Reversal of diabetes by the induction of islet cell neogenesis, Transplant Proc., 24: 1027-1028). The regenerating pancreas is being shown to possess islet neognesis activity leading to reversal of experimental diabetes (Hardikar, A. A. and Bhonde, R. R., 1999, Modulating experimental diabetes by treatment with cytosolic extract from the regenerating pancreas, Diabet. Res. Clin. Pract, 46: 203-211).